Surat-based Modi Xerox has recently commissioned a brand-new Konica Minolta AccurioPress C3080 digital color production press. The 30-year old print service provider began operating the press in February just before the second Covid-19 wave hit India. The ensuing lockdown hit the operations, but things are now limping back to normalcy, and the AccurioPress C3080 is now again churning out big volumes.
“This is our first Konica Minolta digital press. Before this, we had been using two Xerox presses and wanted to replace one. So, we did some homework and, after much deliberation, decided on the AccurioPress C3080. With this new press, we are able to achieve much bigger volumes than what we did with the Xerox,” says Dilip Modi, owner of Modi Xerox.
During February, the first entire month of operations of AccurioPress C3080, Modi Xerox printed 40,000 impressions. With its Xerox DocuColor press, it was able to print about 15,000 impressions a month. However, due to the lockdown, operations at Modi Xerox were suspended during April and most of May.
The Konica Minolta AccurioPress C3080 prints at a speed of 80 pages per minute and accepts paper sizes up to 13” x 19.2” and weights up to 350 gsm. It has 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution with 8-bit processing. The press boasts of productive duplex banner printing with a banner tray that holds 1000 banner sheets of up to 30” and simplex banner printing up to 51”. It has enhanced Simitri HDE toner for superior halftone and skin-tone reproduction, with biomass plant-based material to reduce environmental impact.
“We could fully use the press only in February because we were closed in April and most parts of May. However, we are extremely satisfied with the press. The speed is faster, and the quality is better than the older press. The after-sales of Konica Minolta is also very good,” Modi says.
Modi Xerox volumes pick up as pandemic recedes
After remaining shut for more than a month, Modi Xerox reopened in May and gradually increased volumes. They are still not at the February levels because of partial restrictions still in place.
“In June, we expect to print about 20,000 impressions on the C3080, which is lower than what we did in February. However, with things opening up, we hope to get back to 40,000 impressions per month level very soon,” Modi says.
Talking about more investment in the coming months, Modi said that he plans to replace the second Xerox, the Versant 80, next year.
“We will decide on the new press only after one year. Till then, we are happy to operate the C3080 and the Versant 80,” Modi concludes.
